Özet:

Television series, which have been increasing in Türkiye since the 2000s, now constitute the prime-time broadcast generation of many national channels. The series feature different social, cultural and socio-economic representations. One of these representations is poverty. This study will research how poverty is represented in television series. As emphasized in the Cultivation Theory, television has an impact on the audience in the long term. In this context, representations of poverty can be problematic for both the audience and the group represented. Especially when ethnic minorities are taken into consideration, representations of poverty within the framework of Cultivation Theory can increase prejudice against these groups and reinforce their socio-economic status. In this context, representations of poverty in television series will be analyzed through the Romani ethnicity. A qualitative content analysis of five Turkish television series with Romani characters was conducted in the categories of story, characters, location, education, and business life. The study concluded that poverty is identified with Romani, and Romani characters are represented as poor in all television series. Within the framework of Cultivation Theory, these representations can create more inequality in society and further disempower minority groups. While there are many stories about poverty within the narrative structure of fiction, the repetition of these stories through a particular ethnic group can lead to the formation of stereotypes and prejudices against that group.

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